History Main / Excalibur

** Excalibur itself shows up throughout the series, but unlike most examples it, as well the similarly-named Rexcalibur, is usually portrayed as [[BlowYouAway a high-level wind tome]], not a sword.

* ''Franchise/GoldenSun'': In ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge'' and ''[[VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn Dark Dawn]]'', the Excalibur is one one of the strongest swords in both games and obtained by forging an [[{{Orichalcum}} orihalcon]] with a 5% probability.

* ''VideoGame/SonicAndTheBlackKnight'' combines the sword backstories in a somewhat interesting way. At the very start of the game, Sonic draws a sword named Caliburn from a stone. [[spoiler: Near the end, however, Sonic's OnceAnEpisode SuperMode actually changes Caliburn INTO Excalibur, essentially making the sword in the stone and Excalibur into the same blade. And the Lady of the Lake DOES sort of give Excalibur to Sonic in this way; it's at her instruction that the method of activating this game's SuperMode occurs.]]

The name ''Excalibur'' is derived from from the original Welsh ''Caledfwlch'' or ''Caledvwlch'',[[note]][[NoPronunciationGuide pronounced]] "ka-led-vulkh", meaning "hard cleft" or "battle breach" depending on the translator.[[/note]] cognate with the ''Caladbolg'' of Irish myth. This was rendered as ''Caliburnus'' in Latin. Over the centuries the spelling further developed into ''Escalibor'' and other variations, finally ending up as ''Excalibur''. Some versions say that Arthur pulled Excalibur from a stone (and anvil on top of the stone) to prove his right to be king. Other versions say that the sword from the stone was not Excalibur, but a different sword, and Arthur instead was given Excalibur by Myth/TheLadyOfTheLake.

* ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow'' had the Excalibur show up as a sword in the stone...amusingly enough, Soma's not the chosen one who can free it, so instead he ''swings the massive bolder the sword's attach to as well as the sword itself.''

* ''VideoGame/{{Magicka}}'': Excalibur appears in a similar fashion as it does in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow''; Sure, you can't use it as a sword, but it makes a damn good mace in the mean time.

* ''ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes'': In ''ComicBook/TheGreatDarknessSaga'', the Servants of Darkness steal the sword Excalibur from the Museum of the Tower of London so that their Master can feed off its mystical energies.

* ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'': One of Dave's sidequests in Sburb was to find and retrieve Caledfwlch, aka the Legendary Piece of Shit. It was embedded in a stone, [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter and rather than attempting to pull it]], he felt he instead had to break it out. [[FutureBadass Davesprite]] had already done the same before travelling back in time, and had already alchemized it into the superior Caledscratch, making the Caledfwlch more or less useless...[[InfinityPlusOneSword for a while]].

* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': It's heavily implied -- and eventually confirmed in ''Literature/GhostStory'' -- that [[spoiler:Michael Carpenter's sword ''Amoracchius'', which translates to the "Sword of Love" and contains one of the Nails of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ in its hilt,]] is Excalibur. It is one of the strongest weapons mortals have against evil Supernatural forces. Michael Carpenter even mentions that, in the past, the original Myth/{{Merlin}} was one of its custodians looking for the next proper wielder of it. [[spoiler:Harry Dresden is chosen as its custodian after Michael retires. The first temporary wielder of the blade is a monster mother seeking to save her child from even worst creatures. Because she is acting out of love and swears to hurt no innocent people, she is able to not only touch Excalibur but she uses it to cut off the arm of an elder monster]].

* The name is taken for a HumongousMecha sword used by the [[AcePilot head of the Knights of the Round]] in ''Anime/CodeGeass''.
* Though definitely not the actual sword, [=HolyAngemon=] and Seraphimon's LaserBlade [[BladeBelowTheShoulder Below the Shoulder]] in ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' is called Excalibur.

* Used for a HumongousMecha twin beam sword used by the initial main hero of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSEEDDestiny''.

* ''Manga/SoulEater'': Excalibur! [[EquippableAlly Excalibur!]] [[MeanBrit From United King]], [[TalkingWeapon I'm looking]] [[InfinityPlusOneSword for him]], [[CloudCuckoolander I'm going to California!]] [[EnsembleDarkHorse Excalibur!]] [[LargeHam Excalibur!]] EXCALIBUR! On top of this, he is also [[spoiler:a Great Old One, specifically that associated with the Madness of Rage, and might even be said to be the reason behind everything in the plot - his very existence inspired Arachne to try and create her own kind of LivingWeapon]]. He's also highly annoying. [[spoiler:Or so he wants you to think, at least...]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'': [[spoiler:As the last living descendent of King Arthur]], the titular character is offered Excalibur so that he can raise an army to fight the Queen of Blood (a.k.a. [[spoiler:Nimue]]).
%%* ''ComicBook/IronMan'': Featured in a trilogy of stories.

* In ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'', Excalibur is lost and becomes the MacGuffin as the heroes quest to find it and save the kingdom. Sir Ruber, the BigBad, seeks the sword so he can magically bind himself to it and become invincible.

* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'', identified properly as the sword bestowed upon Arthur by the Lady in the Lake, but serving no actual plot purpose.
* In ''Film/KingArthur2004'', Excalibur/the Sword in the Stone is retrieved by young Arthur from his father's grave.

* ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' combines the two well known stories about how Arthur got the weapon, in addition to making it a sword with tremendous powers such as causing shockwaves. [[https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/H9UydFlLeY5Vou82Ftz61bpPMo4=/0x0:1920x786/1200x800/filters:focal(1052x347:1358x653)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54770103/CharlieHunnamKingArthur2.0.jpg Arthur does retrieve it from a rock]], proving he is the legitimate heir to the throne, then throws it into a lake later on out of fear of not controlling its powers. Then Arthur stumbles into a mud pool, the Lady of the Lake drags him into an abyss, [[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eFVSvk6vMIA/maxresdefault.jpg gives it back to him]], and he has a vision of a BadFuture dominated by Vortigern, which restores his confidence and allows him to finally harness the sword's powers.
* In ''Film/Hellboy2019'', Excalibur is the only weapon capable of actually harming [[BigBad Nimue, the Blood Queen]].
* Excalibur appears in the Library of ''Film/TheLibrarian'' film series. It's sentient and capable of flying around on its own, and is fond of sparring with the protagonist Flynn.

* Thomas Malory's ''Literature/LeMorteDarthur'' is widely considered the definitive version of the Arthurian legend.
* T.H. White's ''Literature/TheOnceAndFutureKing''.
* In ''Franchise/TheDarkTower'', Roland, a descendant of Myth/KingArthur, wields guns forged from the blade and hilt of Excalibur.
* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', it's ''heavily'' implied - and eventually confirmed in ''Ghost Story'' - that [[spoiler:Michael Carpenter's sword ''Amoracchius'', which translates to the "Sword of Love" and contains one of the Nails of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ in its hilt,]] is Excalibur. It is one of the strongest weapons mortals have against evil Supernatural forces. Michael Carpenter even mentions that, in the past, the original Myth/{{Merlin}} was one of its custodians looking for the next proper wielder of it. [[spoiler:Harry Dresden is chosen as its custodian after Michael retires. The first temporary wielder of the blade is a monster mother seeking to save her child from even worst creatures. Because she is acting out of love and swears to hurt no innocent people, she is able to not only touch Excalibur but she uses it to cut off the arm of an elder monster]].
* In ''LightNovel/HighSchoolDxD'', there were two holy swords originally wielded by King Arthur:

* In ''Literature/TheSecretsOfTheImmortalNicholasFlamel'', Excalibur is the sword of water, being one of the [[FourElementalEnsemble four elemental swords]] (the other three are Durendal (Earth), Clarent (Fire), and Joyeuse (Air)), and wielded by the main antagonist John Dee for most of the series. [[spoiler:At the end, all four are fused together to become [[TheGrimReaper Marethyu]]'s HookHand.]]
* In ''Literature/TheLostYearsOfMerlin,'' the title character finds a magic sword and is told that he'll one day help a great king pull it from a stone. Oddly, "Excalibur" is never stated because Merlin [[IKnowYourTrueName doesn't want people to know its true name]].
* In Mary Stewart's ''Literature/TheMerlinTrilogy'', it's named Caliburn and it is the sword of Maximus/Macsen Wledig, a Roman general who made an unsuccessful bid for the Imperial crown. It was brought back from Rome by his men after his death and hidden in a stone temple. The common legend in this story is that it was forged by the legendary smith Weland, before fading away with the rest of the old gods. Much of the second novel, ''The Hollow Hills'', revolves around Merlin attempting to locate it to secure Arthur's accession, and Arthur's drawing it in the sight of all men.
* In the ''Pendragon Cycle'' by Stephen Lawhead, Excalibur is an Atlantean sword wielded by King Avallach and later his grandson Myth/{{Merlin}}. After Arthur's original sword is broken in battle, he receives it as a replacement from Merlin's mother Charis, this series's version of the Lady of the Lake.
* In ''The Skystone'', the first book in Jack Whyte's ''Camulod Chronicles'', ironsmith Publius Varrus at one point smelts some ore from a meteor that landed in a lake near his home, and forges it into a statue of a woman which he calls "The Lady of the Lake". He later melts down the statue and reforges the metal into the sword Excalibur.
* ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'': Excalibur is [[InfinityPlusOneSword the most powerful weapon]] in the otherwise Norse-themed VRMMORPG Alfheim Online, the setting of the second StoryArc.
** During the ''Fairy Dance'' arc itself, Kirito catches a glimpse of the weapon's hidden resting place (an icicle castle frozen into the roof of the game's underworld), but is unable to reach it.
** At the climax of the arc, [[HateSink Sugou/Oberon]] attempts to spawn in a copy of Excalibur to fight Kirito. Kirito stops him... then spawns in Excalibur himself and ''hands'' it to his opponent, knowing that Sugou is a thief [[HowDoIShotWeb with no clue how "his" game even works]], and that he has no chance of defeating an experienced player even with an overpowered weapon.
** The book 8 sidestory ''Caliber'' features the introduction of a new quest chain said to have Excalibur as a reward, which spurs Kirito to gather his friends and try to claim the weapon while he still has a chance. Within the game's lore, the "icicle castle" turns out to be a frozen lake created when the frost giants plunged Excalibur into the roots of the World Tree as part of their plans to invade the surface. Eventually the group succeed in destroying the castle by pulling Excalibur from its resting place... only to find that its actual name is "Holy Sword Excalib'''e'''r" [sic]. Kirito surmises that the unusual spelling was a {{Pun}} on how the item is a BraggingRightsReward which proves its wielder's ''caliber'' (at least, after all he went through to get it, he likes that explanation better than "one of the devs made a typo").
** A {{Nerf}}ed form of the weapon, "Fake Sword Caliburn", is also mentioned as the reward for the "normal" version of the quest chain, granted to parties who choose to side with the frost giants.

* ''The Secret of Excalibur'' has Excalibur being accidentally made out of a superconductor capable of channelling earth energy from ley lines. The protagonists are looking for it in the modern age because it can be used as part of a superweapon. Caliburn also exists; Caliburn was the prototype of the sword, but it didn't work properly, and Excalibur was a refined version created after Caliburn was broken into three sections.

* In Creator/BernardCornwell's ''[[Literature/TheWarlordChronicles Warlord]]'' trilogy, Excalibur is the Sword of Rhydderch, one of the Thirteen Treasures of Britain.

* The French {{parody}} series ''Series/{{Kaamelott}}'' went the "sword in the stone" route. Arthur managed to pull the sword from the stone at age 6 (as he was chosen by the gods of Brittany), and it becomes a FlamingSword whenever he wields it. He put it back in the stone in Season 5 before disappearing. In ''Film/KaamelottPremierVolet'' (TheMovie), Arthur reclaims the sword, but it seemingly loses its powers... and regains them in the climactic duel pitting Arthur against Lancelot, only this time the flame is blue and [[ElementalWeapon produces lightnings]].
* Shows up in 2008's ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'', of course. It was created in the episode called "[[TitleIn Excalibur]]", has been thrown into the lake by Merlin, was retrieved by his watery girlfriend, and is currently residing in [[ExcaliburInTheStone a large stone]]. Interestingly, three seasons in and it has still not been named or identified as the legendary Excalibur, nor wielded by Arthur himself.
** As of the end of the fourth series, Excalibur has been pulled out of the stone and is in Arthur's possession, but ''still'' hasn't been called "Excalibur" yet.
* Appears in the ''Series/DoctorWho'' story ''Battlefield'', where it is key to resurrecting a King Arthur from an AlternateUniverse. [[spoiler: Only, Arthur's really long dead...]]
* In the 1998 miniseries ''Series/{{Merlin|1998}}'', the titular character is given Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake. Merlin gives the sword to Uther Pendragon, but then takes it back when Uther proves not to be worthy of wielding it. He then places it into the care of the Rock of Ages, asking him to only relinquish it to a man with a good heart. A teenaged Arthur later shows up and successfully shifts it from the stone after the Rock witnesses his goodness. After Arthur's death, Merlin returns the sword to the Lady of the Lake.
* Excalibur's name sometimes comes up in, of all places, the Japanese ''toku'' genre; ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'' wields the [[http://kamenrider.wikia.com/wiki/Medajalibur Medajalibur]], ''Series/KamenRiderWizard'' has the Axcalibur in his SuperMode, while the first five of the ''Series/ZyudenSentaiKyoryuger'' each carry an identical [[http://powerrangers.wikia.com/wiki/Electro-Beast_Sword_Gabricalibur#Electro-Beast_Sword_Gabricalibur Gabricalibur]].
* In ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}},'' the Lady of the Lake is killed by a demon, and the Charmed Ones come into possession of Excalibur, once more in the stone. Piper manages to pull it out, but it begins to corrupt her, as apparently anyone not [[OnlyTheChosenMayWield "chosen" to wield it]] will eventually [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity go mad with power]]. It turns out that Excalibur is actually destined for ''[[GooGooGodlike Wyatt]],'' and Piper managed to pull it out because, as his mother, she's now the new Lady of the Lake.

* In the 1st Edition ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' supplement ''Deities & Demigods/Legends & Lore'', King Arthur and Excalibur are both statted and Excalibur lives up to its AbsurdlySharpBlade status being described as a "+5 Sword of Sharpness" - this would under 1st edition rules sever a limb or the head of a normal opponent on approximately 35% of successful hits.

* Truth In Television from which the Excalibur myth was taken: in ancient times, aging Celtic heroes threw their inherited, heirloom blades into the swamps to appease the spirits who dwelt there, who presumably kept their weapons safe after they died. They've found tons of swords buried in the former lake around the former isle of Avalon, aka Glastonbury Tor.

* The ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series has featured Excalibur or variant spellings as a weapon in nearly every game. If there's a sword wielding character, you can bet they'll end up wielding it.

* ''[[VideoGame/SonicStorybookSeries Sonic and the Black Knight]]'' combines the sword backstories in a somewhat interesting way. At the very start of the game, Sonic draws a sword named Caliburn from a stone. [[spoiler: Near the end, however, Sonic's OnceAnEpisode SuperMode actually changes Caliburn INTO Excalibur, essentially making the sword in the stone and Excalibur into the same blade. And the Lady of the Lake DOES sort of give Excalibur to Sonic in this way; it's at her instruction that the method of activating this game's SuperMode occurs.]]
* Deconstructed in ''VideoGame/TombRaiderLegend'', where the concept of Excalibur as a PublicDomainArtifact is explored.
* ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedValhalla'' has Excalibur left at Stonehenge after King Arthur's death. Eivor can take the weapon and use it against any enemy.
* ''[[VideoGame/BackyardSports Backyard Skateboarding]]'' has the unlockable Excaliboard ([[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin obviously]] based on Excalibur).
* In ''VideoGame/GoldenSunTheLostAge'' and ''[[VideoGame/GoldenSunDarkDawn Dark Dawn]]'', the Excalibur is one one of the strongest swords in both games and obtained by forging an [[{{Orichalcum}} orihalcon]] with a 5% probability.
* ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow]]'' had the Excalibur show up as a sword in the stone...amusingly enough, Soma's not the chosen one who can free it, so instead he ''swings the massive bolder the sword's attach to as well as the sword itself.''
* In the French language translations of ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'', the Master Sword is referred to as "Excalibur", except in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]'', where is it called "L'Épée de Légende" ("the Sword of Legend").
* In the NES game ''VideoGame/DayDreaminDavey'', one Medieval stage has Davey overcome all obstacles in order to find the sacred sword Excalibur, only that the "sword" that he has imagined is actually a ruler while he's sitting in the corner in class.
* Excalibur appears in ''{{VideoGame/Magicka}}'' in a similar fashion as it does in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaChroniclesOfSorrow''; Sure, you can't use it as a sword, but it makes a damn good mace in the mean time.
* In ''VideoGame/NetHack'' players can receive Excalibur by dipping a Longsword into a fountain if they are Lawful.

* Excalibur is available not as a sword, but as a starter ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' themed around being a MasterSwordsman.
* In the ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsZ Second Super Robot Wars Z: Saisei-hen]]'', the HumongousMecha belonging to [[Characters/SuperRobotWarsZ Prince Uther Insaraum]] wields the Collbrande. However, the sword was sheathed for more than 2000 years, until Uther awakened it.
* Excalibur is one of the best swords (possibly the best) that main character Soki can obtain in ''VideoGame/OnimushaDawnOfDreams''. In order to get it you need to battle through 50 levels of the Dark Realm, with the implication that the demons have hidden it away. The sword both does extra damage to and grants protection from darkness based enemies/magic, respectively.

* ''VideoGame/TheSecretWorld'', being set in a world where AllMythsAreTrue, quite naturally features Excalibur. [[spoiler: It's actually the MacGuffin of the first major story arc. Having been stolen from its Arthurian resting place by Vikings, it was then taken to New England in order to help the Wabanaki tribe fight off an invasion by Mayans hell-bent on unleashing the [[EldritchAbomination entity]] [[SealedEvilInACan slumbering under Solomon Island]]. Unfortunately, the sword was lost on the return journey and remained so until the 21st century, when it was accidentally discovered by a fishing vessel and brought back to Solomon Island; unfortunately, it brought the zombified Vikings with it - which is where the player gets involved. Eventually, [[StarterVillain Freddy Beaumont]] acquires the sword and tries to seize the Island's power with it before getting his ass handed to him by the player; unfortunately, Beaumont's DarkMistress makes off with Excalibur immediately afterward and hasn't been seen since.]]

* ''VideoGame/LoveOfMagic'': The protagonist's weapon is Excalibur; he needs the help of Arthur's great-granddaughter to draw it from the stone. Excalibur is an EmpathicWeapon, MorphWeapon, and AbsurdlySharpBlade, and has been the chosen weapon of heroes back to at least Alexander the Great.

* In the webcomic ''Webcomic/ArthurKingOfTimeAndSpace'', Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, allows people to believe his sword is the legendary Excalibur as a PR exercise. This is the sword that ends up in the stone, while the ''real'' Excalibur is in the care of the Lady of the Lake.
** That is, when it's not [[RecycledInSpace a starship]], a global corporation, a marshal's badge...
* In ''{{Webcomic/Homestuck}}'', one of Dave's sidequests in Sburb was to find and retrieve Caledfwlch, aka the Legendary Piece of Shit. It was embedded in a stone, [[AlwaysSomeoneBetter and rather than attempting to pull it]], he felt he instead had to break it out. [[FutureBadass Davesprite]] had already done the same before travelling back in time, and had already alchemized it into the superior Caledscratch, making the Caledfwlch more or less useless...[[InfinityPlusOneSword for a while]].

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}''. King Arthur appeared, initially sans Excalibur. He eventually retrieved it, but not without a clash with Theatre/{{Macbeth}}, who argued that, as an immortal and former monarch himself, the prophecy of "a timeless king" could also apply to him.
* In ''WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985'', [[BigBad Mumm-Ra]] seeks out a weapon powerful enough to defeat the Sword of Omens. The only weapon without question powerful enough to do the job is Excalibur. Through trickery Mumm-Ra obtains it and defeats the Sword of Omens after the swords fight on their own. It looks like evil wins until Merlin shows up, takes back the sword and kicks Mumm-Ra's ass.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'' has [[SdrawkcabName Rubilax]].
* In one ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeARealAmericanHero'' episode, Cobra swordsman Storm Shadow gets his hands on Excalibur, which among other things can [[AbsurdlySharpBlade cut through a stone pillar]] in a single swipe.

* Shows up in VisualNovel/FateStayNight, its prequel (Anime/FateZero), and its sequel (VisualNovel/FateHollowAtaraxia), [[spoiler:wielded by Saber.]] It's even got its own leitmotif when it's used, "Sword of Promised Victory".

* In ''Film/KingArthur'' (2004), Excalibur/the Sword in the Stone is retrieved by young Arthur from his father's grave.

* Featured in the MarvelUniverse in a trilogy of ''ComicBook/IronMan'' stories.
* Later shows up in ''ComicBook/CaptainBritainAndMI13''.
* ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' [[spoiler:as the last living descendent of King Arthur]] is offered Excalibur so that he can raise an army to fight the Queen of Blood (a.k.a. [[spoiler:Nimue]]).
* The Shining Knight in Grant Morrison's ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'' wields the sword Caliburn Ex Calibur.
* In ''ComicBook/MageTheHeroDiscovered'', Kevin Matchstick gains the ability to wield the magical baseball bat Excalibur.
* In the strip "The Jocks and the Geordies" from ''ComicBook/TheDandy'', the Geordies once decided to search for Excalibur in hopes that with it, they could rally all the great Geordie hard men and batter the hell out of the Jocks. They failed dismally in this hunt, so instead they faked up an Excalibur from tin foil, which did the job just fine.
* In ''ComicBook/Camelot3000'', King Arthur must retrieve Excalibur from the lake, which is now the cooling pond for a nuclear power station.
* In ''ComicBook/WitchDoctor'', [[spoiler:Vincent Morrow]] wields this weapon, and is absolutely certain that pulling it out of the stone makes him TheChosenOne.

[[folder:Fanfiction]]
* In ''Fanfic/JerichoMLP'', although it is never once actually described, the sword that [[FirstPersonSmartass Jeri]][[SociopathicHero cho]] carries is suggested to be this. When Snechta, the [[HighPriest High Priestess]] of the Cult of Chêngrêla, sees the sword, she goes wide-eyed and asks the sword is Caledfwlch, the blade of this world's Myth/KingArthur, Aloysius ''der Lichtbringer''. Jericho shrugs and says that, in the Reich whence he comes, they called the sword ''Kaledfulch'', but suggests that the two swords are "likely the same thing". Although, the story of how he came by it is... odd:
--> I stole it from a museum, but it’s just a superb weapon that laughs at light armor and scoffs at cover. Plus, that museum dressed like a slut and totally had it coming.
** It should also be noted that Jericho carries a pair of ammo-less [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolvers]], which, he notes, were given to him by a lady in a lake. The particular story almost exactly resembles the Lady in the Lake who gave Myth/KingArthur Excalibur.
* Nav's InfinityPlusOneSword in ''FanFic/DiariesOfAMadman'' turns out to be Excalibur.

* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', [[spoiler:[[Myth/KingArthur Saber]]]] uses it. It's a WaveMotionSword powerful enough to destroy ''skyscrapers'' on the lower settings, and could wipe out a good portion of a city at maximum power. Its considered an Anti-fortress-class weapon and is the only one of its class.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Jericho}}'', although it is never once actually described, the sword that [[FirstPersonSmartass Jeri]][[SociopathicHero cho]] carries is suggested to be this. When Snechta, the [[HighPriest High Priestess]] of the Cult of Chêngrêla, sees the sword, she goes wide-eyed and asks the sword is Caledfwlch, the blade of this world's Myth/KingArthur, Aloysius ''der Lichtbringer''. Jericho shrugs and says that, in the Reich whence he comes, they called the sword ''Kaledfulch'', but suggests that the two swords are "likely the same thing". Although, the story of how he came by it is... odd:

* In ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'', Excalibur is lost and becomes the MacGuffin as the heroes quest to find it and save the kingdom. Sir Ruper, the BigBad, seeks the sword so he can magically bind himself to it and become invincible.

* ''The Secret of Excalibur'' has Excalibur being accidentally made out of a superconductor capable of channeling earth energy from ley lines. The protagonists are looking for it in the modern age because it can be used as part of a superweapon. Caliburn also exists; Caliburn was the prototype of the sword, but it didn't work properly, and Excalibur was a refined version created after Caliburn was broken into three sections.

* The French {{parody}} series ''Series/{{Kaamelott}}'' went the "sword in the stone" route. Arthur managed to pull the sword from the stone at age 6 (as he was chosen by the gods of Brittany), and it becomes a FlamingSword whenever he wields it. He put it back in the stone in Season 5 befoe disappearing. In ''Film/KaamelottPremierVolet'' (TheMovie), Arthur reclaims the sword, but it seemingly loses its powers... and regains them in the climactic duel pitting Arthur against Lancelot, only this time the flame is blue and [[ElementalWeapon produces lightnings]].

* Shows up in ''Series/{{Merlin 2008}}'', of course. It was created in the episode called "[[TitleIn Excalibur]]", has been thrown into the lake by Merlin, was retrieved by his watery girlfriend, and is currently residing in [[ExcaliburInTheStone a large stone]]. Interestingly, three seasons in and it has still not been named or identified as the legendary Excalibur, nor wielded by Arthur himself.

* In the miniseries ''Series/{{Merlin 1998}}'', the titular character is given Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake. Merlin gives the sword to Uther Pendragon, but then takes it back when Uther proves not to be worthy of wielding it. He then places it into the care of the Rock of Ages, asking him to only relinquish it to a man with a good heart. A teenaged Arthur later shows up and successfully shifts it from the stone after the Rock witnesses his goodness. After Arthur's death, Merlin returns the sword to the Lady of the Lake.

* In ''Literature/TheSecretsOfTheImmortalNicholasFlamel'', Excalibur is the sword of water, being one of the four elemental swords (the other three are Durendal (Earth), Clarent (Fire), and Joyeuse (Air)), and wielded by the main antagonist John Dee for most of the series. [[spoiler:At the end, all four are fused together to become [[TheGrimReaper Marethyu]]'s HookHand.]]

** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' takes both Excalibur and its original spelling and turns them into two different powerful swords. Excalibur is a special weapon that can be obtained by Paladins after obtaining the sword Curtana and converting it. The other weapon, Caladbolg, is a weapon for Dark Knights who complete their entire questline.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Jericho}}'', although it is never once actually described, the sword that [[FirstPersonSmartass Jeri]][[SociopathicHero cho]] carries is suggested to be this. When Snechta, the [[HighPriest High Priestess]] of the Cult of Chêngrêla, sees the sword, she goes wide-eyed and asks the sword is Caledfwlch, the blade of this world's KingArthur, Aloysius ''der Lichtbringer''. Jericho shrugs and says that, in the Reich whence he comes, they called the sword ''Kaledfulch'', but suggests that the two swords are "likely the same thing". Although, the story of how he came by it is... odd:

** It should also be noted that Jericho carries a pair of ammo-less [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolvers]], which, he notes, were given to him by a lady in a lake. The particular story almost exactly resembles the Lady in the Lake who gave KingArthur Excalibur.

* In ''Franchise/TheDarkTower'', Roland, a descendant of KingArthur, wields guns forged from the blade and hilt of Excalibur.

* In ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', [[spoiler:[[KingArthur Saber]]]] uses it. It's a WaveMotionSword powerful enough to destroy ''skyscrapers'' on the lower settings, and could wipe out a good portion of a city at maximum power. Its considered an Anti-fortress-class weapon and is the only one of its class.

* ''ComicBook/{{Excalibur}}'': The Creator/MarvelComics comic, and its [[Characters/ExcaliburTheComicbook character sheet]].

* "Excalibolg" from ''LightNovel/BludgeoningAngelDokuroChan'' [[RuleOfFunny needlessly]] combines this with BlandNameProduct. The second half of the name likely comes fro Gae Bolg from Celtic myth, which is a SPEAR, not a sword. Even more inexplicably, Excalibolg is a spiky club, not a sword.

* Shows up in [[VisualNovel/FateStayNight Fate/Stay Night]] and it's prequel (Zero) and sequel (ataraxia), [[spoiler: wielded by Saber.]] It's even got its own leitmotif when it's used, "Sword of Promised Victory".

** The Gold Saints Capricorn Shura has Excalibur in his arms... and legs!!!. In the anime, it was said that in mythical times, Athena granted the legendary sword Excalibur only to a Saint who proved his undying loyalty towards the goddess. This technique is a very sharp blast, composed of extreme cosmo concentration released by his arms and legs movements. Since it is quickly released, it can be used multiple times.

* ''Manga/SoulEater'': Excalibur! [[EquippableAlly Excalibur!]] [[MeanBrit From United King]], [[TalkingWeapon I'm looking]] [[InfinityPlusOneSword for him]], [[CloudCuckoolander I'm going to California!]] [[EnsembleDarkHorse Excalibur!]] [[LargeHam Excalibur!]] EXCALIBUR! On top of this, he is also [[spoiler: a Great Old One, specifically that associated with the Madness of Rage, and might even be said to be the reason behind everything in the plot - his very existence inspired Arachne to try and create her own kind of LivingWeapon]]. He's also highly annoying. [[spoiler: Or so he wants you to think, at least...]]

* ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' [[spoiler: as the last living descendent of King Arthur]] is offered Excalibur so that he can raise an army to fight the Queen of Blood (a.k.a. [[spoiler: Nimue]]).

* In ''ComicBook/WitchDoctor'', [[spoiler: Vincent Morrow]] wields this weapon, and is absolutely certain that pulling it out of the stone makes him TheChosenOne.

* In ''Film/KingArthur'' (2004), Excalibur / Sword in the Stone is retrieved by young Arthur from his father's grave.

* ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' combines the two well known stories about how Arthur got the weapon, in addition to making it a sword with tremendous powers such as causing shockwaves. [[https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/H9UydFlLeY5Vou82Ftz61bpPMo4=/0x0:1920x786/1200x800/filters:focal(1052x347:1358x653)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54770103/CharlieHunnamKingArthur2.0.jpg Arthur does retrieve it from a rock]], proving he is the legitimate heir to the throne, then throws it into a lake later on out of fear of not controlling its powers. Then Arthur stumbles into a mud pool, the Lady of the Lake drags him into an abyss, [[[[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eFVSvk6vMIA/maxresdefault.jpg gives it back to him]], and he has a vision of a BadFuture dominated by Vortigern, which restores his confidence and allows him to finally harness the sword's powers.

* In Mary Stewart's ''Literature/TheMerlinTrilogy'', its named Caliburn and is it is the sword of Maximus/Macsen Wledig, a Roman general who made an uncessfull bid for the Imperial crown. It was brought back from Rome by his men after his death and hidden in a stone temple. The common legend in this story is that it was forged by the legendary smith Weland, before fading away with the rest of the old gods. Much of the second novel, ''The Hollow Hills'', revolves around Merlin attempting to locate it to secure Arthur's accession, and Arthur's drawing it in the sight of all men.
* In the ''Pendragon Cycle'' by Stephen Lawhead, Excalibur is an Atlantean sword wielded by King Avallach and later his grandson Myth/{{Merlin}}. After Arthur's original sword is broken in battle, he receives it as a replacement from Merlin's mother Charis, this series version of the Lady of the Lake.

* ''Literature/TheSecretOfExcalibur'' has Excalibur being accidentally made out of a superconductor capable of channeling earth energy from ley lines. The protagonists are looking for it in the modern age because it can be used as part of a superweapon. Caliburn also exists; Caliburn was the prototype of the sword, but it didn't work properly, and Excalibur was a refined version created after Caliburn was broken into three sections.

* ''Series/{{Merlin 2008}}'', of course. It was created in the episode called "[[TitleIn Excalibur]]", has been thrown into the lake by Merlin, was retrieved by his watery girlfriend, and is currently residing in [[ExcaliburInTheStone a large stone]]. Interestingly, three seasons in and it has still not been named or identified as the legendary Excalibur, nor wielded by Arthur himself.

* ''VideoGame/CrystalCaliburn'' is named after the sword ("Caliburn"), and it is one of the knightly weapons to be retrieved.

* In the 1st Edition ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' supplement ''Deities & Demigods / Legends & Lore'', King Arthur and Excalibur are both statted and Excalibur lives up to it's AbsurdlySharpBlade status being described as a "+5 Sword of Sharpness" - this would under 1st edition rules sever a limb or the head of a normal opponent on approximately 35% of successful hits.

* Truth In Television from which the [=Excalibur=] myth was taken: in ancient times, aging celtic heroes threw their inherited, heirloom blades into the swamps to appease the spirits who dwelt there, who presumably kept their weapons safe after they died. They've found tons of swords buried in the former lake around the former isle of Avalon, aka Glastonbury Tor.

** Several games in the series feature a shoddy knock-off [[JokeItem Excalipur]]. Sometimes it's pretty good if you [[LethalJokeItem throw it]]. It's usually found in the hands of [[RunningGag Gilgamesh]], who has once again mistaken it for the real deal.

* ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight.'' [[spoiler:[[KingArthur Saber]]]] uses it. It´s a WaveMotionSword powerful enough to destroy ''skyscrapers'' on the lower settings, and could wipe out a good portion of a city at maximum power. Its considered an Anti-fortress-class weapon and is the only one of its class.

** That is, when it's not [[RecycledInSpace a starship]], a global corporation, a marshal's badge ... .

* In the 1980s ''[[WesternAnimation/ThunderCats1985 Thundercats]]'', [[BigBad Mumm-Ra]] seeks out a weapon powerful enough to defeat the Sword of Omens. The only weapon without question powerful enough to do the job is Excalibur. Through trickery Mumm-Ra obtains it and defeats the Sword of Omens after the swords fight on their own. It looks like evil wins until Merlin shows up, takes back the sword and kicks Mumm-Ra's ass.

* Excalibur appears in the Library of ''Film/TheLibrarian film series. It's sentient and capable of flying around on its own, and is fond of sparring with the protagonist Flynn.